It’s a job outdoors in the middle of Manhattan, where you can see the sources of the city’s clamor but can’t hear them.

Cristian Toledo, who has been a window washer since 2009, says working outside an office building is his preferred way of life.

“I prefer to look at people working in the office than me working in the office,” he said. “I can see everything — Central Park all the way down to the World Trade Center.”

But before stepping onto any scaffolding, potential window washers must be trained. Members of the Service Employees International Union 32BJ, which represents property services workers, have to train for 216 hours in a classroom and another 3,000 hours hands on.

That includes learning how to handle risks like the malfunctioning of equipment and problems with the weather.

“The wind — whether you’re working scaffold, on belt or on ladder — is very dangerous,” said Andy Horton, who has been cleaning windows for 33 years and trains window washers. “It’s a nonstop checkpoint. You’re checking every 15 to 20 minutes to make sure that everything is O.K.”

While window washing happens year-round, the prime season for cleaning taller buildings — ones that require scaffolding — is typically between March and October.

Though height can add to the danger of the job, washers’ biggest safety concern is an invisible force: the wind.

“The wind is my worst enemy. If for any reason I get disconnected from the building, the wind is gonna flip me over,” Mr. Toledo said, adding that washers do not work at heights if winds reach more than 25 miles per hour.

He recalled a windy day last year that took him and his partner by surprise.

“As soon as we went up, the wind was hitting hard,” he said. “Your mind starts rolling, thinking about everything. Like, ‘Oh God, what’s going to happen? The cable is going to break, or we’re going to flip.’ And you think about family.”

But when the wind cooperates, he said, he wouldn’t trade the job for any other.

People living there — civilians and officers, young and old — are invited to submit photographs, videos, essays and other art that highlight how the Bronx has shaped their lives; the Bronx back in the day; significant places and buildings; community role models; everyday heroes; and ways that residents and the authorities can better connect with each other.

The goal is to help all members of the community realize that they have more in common than they might think.

(The campaign is an extension of #MyNYCStory, a program encouraging city residents to share stories and opinions about how to improve their neighborhoods.)

You can learn more about what to submit and how to submit it here. The competition continues through Sept. 29.

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